Age-Dependent Enclosure Use in Juvenile Chinese Crocodile Lizards, Shinisaurus crocodilurus crocodilurus

Abstract

This study compared the resource use of juvenile zoo-living Chinese crocodile lizards, Shinisaurus crocodilurus crocodilurus across three observation windows, spanning nine months, accounting for time of day and lizard age, and under consistent environmental conditions. Lizards showed a significant difference in proportionate resource use, quantified using a modified spread of participation indices between the second and final sampling period, such that with increasing age, resources were more equally utilised. The time of day did not have a significant effect on resource use. Lizards in this study significantly increased their use of water bodies and branches outside the bask zone and decreased their use of the land areas within the bask zones over time. Resource use data suggests the importance of providing enclosures which cater to ontogenetic shifts in captive individuals or within mixed age groupings.

A preliminary study of the effects of enrichment on the activity and spatial distribution of captive monitor lizards in Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Thailand

“…The small sample size, which is a common constraint of non-model species in zoo research, may have limited our ability to detect effects (Carter et al, 2021). All lizards in this study were under the age of maturity.…”

“…The effect of sex on resource use was not investigated in this study. Understanding how individuals of a particular species utilize their enclosures and the resources available to them can help to inform captive management and enclosure design, as well as aiding in assessing animal welfare (Carter et al, 2021). The behavioral research of monitor lizards provides us with a great deal of information concerning animalsʹ requirements, preferences and internal insight which will help to implement any animal conservation and management programs (Rahman et al, 2017).…”

“…Understanding how individuals of a particular species utilize their enclosures and the resources available to them can help to inform captive management and enclosure design, as well as help in assessing animal welfare (Carter et al, 2021). If the behavior of captive lizards reflects that of wild animals, enclosures should be designed to allow equal opportunities to access resources, to benefit mixed age groups or to correlate with preferences as animals age (Carter et al, 2021). The provision of diverse environmental conditions undoubtedly offers significant benefits for animals to interact with their surroundings.…”